July 2006 Delegation

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Interfaith Peace-Builders Delegation Arrives in Israel/Palestine

July 17, 2006

At this tragic and critical time in the Middle East, Interfaith Peace-Builders is pleased to report that its seventeen person Interfaith Peace-Builders delegation entered Israel at the Ben-Gurion airport Monday morning and is now safely in Jerusalem. This delegation provides an excellent opportunity for the participants to hear directly from Israelis and Palestinians living in and through the current crisis.  In the coming days, delegation members will send reports back to share their experiences.

Seventeen US citizens from diverse religious backgrounds departed on Sunday, July 16 for two weeks in Israel/Palestine as part of Interfaith Peace-Builders 19th delegation. The delegation is led by Maia Carter Hallward and Don Christensen.

The purpose of this delegation is to educate North American citizens about the region and deepen their understanding of its conflicts.  The delegates are scheduled to meet with an array of Palestinians and Israelis who will share their observations on the current situation, the effects of United States foreign policy in the region, and the possibilities for a just and sustainable peace.

The delegates at the Phoenix Cultural Center in Dheisheh Refugee Camp

Individual meetings are planned with Jeff Halper, recently nominated for a Noble Peace Prize; Elias Chakour, author of Blood Brothers; and Rami Elhanan, an Israeli whose daughter was killed by a suicide bomber and who currently works for peace and justice with the Parents’ Circle.  Other meetings are scheduled with Israeli and Palestinian college students, inhabitants of the Palestinian refugee camp Dheisheh, Israelis who refuse to serve in the military and Palestinian farmers.

Interfaith Peace-Builders believes in the power of eye-witness experience and transformation.  Given the opportunity to speak directly with Israelis and Palestinians, delegates return to the United States better informed, more energized, and with a deeper understanding of the possibilities for true justice in the Middle East. 

The delegation includes the following people:

  • Mark Braverman, Bethesda, MD
  • Maia Carter Hallward, Washington DC
  • Rachel and Don Christensen, St. Paul, MN
  • Yolande Ford, Silver Spring, MD
  • Dianne Ford Jones, Shaker Heights, OH
  • Malinda Gilbert, Boston, MA
  • Dan Goldstein, Creve Coeur, MO
  • Cecilia Laverty, Spokane, WA
  • Larry Levine and Meg Squier, Hinton, WV
  • Dave Matos, Aiken, SC
  • Argelis Ortiz, Los Angeles, CA
  • Nicole Pelletier, Jamaica Plain, MA
  • Julianne Pirtle, Iowa City, IA
  • Lee Porter, Washington, DC
  • John Van Wagoner, McClean, VA

Upon their return to the United States in the early August, delegates will share their experiences with the public, the media, and their political representatives. Media interested in interviewing the participants when they return, and groups wanting information about speaking engagements, should contact FOR Interfaith Peace-Builders (see below for contact information).

Delegates and IFPB staff at pre-departure orientation in Washington, DC

The delegates will be sending back regular reports during their trip, which we will forward to our email network and post on the FOR website. If you are not part of our email network and wish to receive delegation reports and updates on the Interfaith Peace-Builders program, please contact us.  Please feel free to forward these reports to others.

READ REPORTS FROM THE DELEGATION

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© 2006 Fellowship of Reconciliation

 

 
 
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